Ficus is a popular indoor flower. First of all, this plant is valued for its decorative qualities. Having one or several ficus trees, a gardener can create a picturesque green corner at home. More than 500 species of ficus are known, all of them differ from each other. At home, ficus benjamina or large-leaved ficus is most often grown. House ficus is easy to propagate. Read our article about how to propagate ficus at home.
Optimal timing of the procedure 2. How to prepare for propagation of ficus 3. Propagation by leaves 4. Propagation by cuttings 5. Propagation by shoots 6. Care of a young plant
Photo by ru.depositphotos: The plant can be propagated in different ways, including by leaf.
Ficus propagation by leaf in 5 steps
Large-leaved ficus can easily be propagated by leaves:
- It is advisable to take a leaf from an old woody shoot.
- We cut the sheet at an angle of 45 degrees, retreating from the base of the sheet by about 5 cm.
- We treat the cut in a root formation stimulator and place it in water. If the leaf is very large, then you can cut off part of the leaf, but not more than half. Reducing the leaf blade will speed up the rooting process, since the plant will not waste energy on maintaining life in the leaf and will direct it to root formation.
- After 2–3 weeks, the first roots will appear. Throughout this period, you need to add fresh water and monitor the condition of the leaf.
- We plant the leaf with roots in the substrate and cover it with a plastic bag without tying it.
| Important! Ficus Benjamina does not reproduce by leaves. |
Photo pexels/Skylar Kang: Only large-leaved ficus is propagated by leaves.
Preparation of cuttings
Considering that in nature the height of these plants can reach more than 3 m, at home they simply need pruning. Tree varieties (in particular, the popular Ficus Benjamin) begin to be shortened already in the first or second year of life, otherwise they grow in one long branch and do not produce side shoots. For shrubs, regular pruning helps them look more compact and symmetrical.
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After carrying out such a procedure, there is no need to rush to throw away the remaining fragments - they are ideal planting material. To grow a new full-fledged specimen that retains all the characteristics of the species, a cutting 4-5 cm long is enough, which must have at least one dormant bud and 2-4 leaves. Only non-lignified green shoots with soft bark are suitable for rooting.
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When cutting off a shoot, you should retreat approximately 1 cm from the outermost internode. Next, it is recommended to immerse these small parts of the branches in water for 20-30 minutes so that white milkweed juice comes out of them. It is quite toxic to people and animals, so when working with ficuses it is better to wear protective gloves and wash your hands well with soap when finished.
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How to propagate ficus from cuttings: important tips for growing healthy plants
Both ficus benjamina and large-leaved are successfully propagated by cuttings. This is the easiest and most affordable way to propagate ficus. It can be propagated by apical shoots or stem cuttings. Ficus benjamina is most easily propagated by last year's shoots that have not yet grown old. You can cut it at an angle of 45 degrees, or you can tear it off with the heel. Large-leaved ficus takes root best with older, lignified shoots.
Ficus propagation by apical shoots
The top of the shoot with 2–3 leaves is cut off. The optimal length of the cutting is 12–15 cm. You need to cut the cutting of the plant with a sharp, disinfected tool. This can be ordinary scissors, pruning shears, a knife, or a blade. The cut area on the mother plant must be powdered with crushed charcoal.
Before propagating Ficus Benjamin, you need to remove the milky sap from its cuttings. This can be done by holding the cutting under running warm water or placing the cutting in water. The cut stalk is slightly dried. Vermiculite is poured into a plastic cup with drainage holes, not reaching the top edge of the cup 2-3 cm. Water it generously with warm, settled water. Next, follow the recommendations:
- We dust the lower cut of the cutting in “Kornevin” or any other root formation stimulator.
- We bury the cuttings in vermiculite by about 2–3 cm.
- We place the glass in a transparent plastic bag, which we tie, creating greenhouse conditions.
- Place the cutting in a bright and warm place where it will not be exposed to direct sunlight.
- We periodically look into the bag, remove drops of condensation from the bag and, if necessary, moisten the vermiculite.
- The transparent sides of the cup make it easy to see when roots appear. As soon as the roots grow more than 2 cm, you can transplant the cuttings into the ground. Since the cutting was in greenhouse conditions for a long time, it got used to them. And if we immediately change the conditions of detention, without accustoming the young plant to the dry air in the room, then the cutting may “get sick,” freeze in growth, or even die. Therefore, after transplanting, we cover the ficus with a bag on top without tying it. Just throwing it on top. You need to keep it like this for three days. And only then can you completely remove the bag.
| Remember! The plant must be gradually accustomed to new conditions. This is an important condition when propagating ficus by cuttings. |
- In the substrate we make a recess for the cutting in the center of the container. This can be done with your finger or a stick. Carefully place the cutting there, trying not to damage the roots, and cover it with soil. Lightly press with your fingers so that the cutting “sits” confidently and does not fall over. When transplanting a vermiculite cutting into a special substrate, you can bury it slightly into the soil.
Photo by ru.detositphotos: Sections of cuttings must first be powdered in a root formation stimulator.
Features of propagation of home ficus by stem cuttings
For these purposes, the lateral or lower shoots of the plant are taken. It is best to take lignified branches from large-leaved ficus. Otherwise, rooting may not occur. Using a sharp tool, we cut the cuttings so that each has 2-3 buds. We make the lower cut at an angle of 45 degrees, and the upper one - straight. Next, we root either using the method described above, or the following (in cotton wool):
- Lightly dry the cuttings.
- Place a layer of wet cotton wool into the container. We place the lower cut of the cutting into this cotton wool, having previously dusted it in a root formation stimulator.
- We periodically moisten the cotton wool and wait for the roots to appear.
- When the roots appear, without waiting for long roots, we plant them in the ground.
| Important! The method of rooting in cotton wool is also suitable for apical shoots. |
During the rooting period, the grower must create the most optimal conditions for the growth of the plant - not over-watering, but also not over-drying. You need to water in small portions as the rooting material dries.
To propagate large-leaved ficus, you can immediately root the cuttings in the soil. To do this, you need to take a very loose and nutritious substrate. And we do everything else in the same way as with vermiculite.
Why do the leaves fall?
This can happen for various reasons. Don't worry if only the lower leaves gradually fall off. This is a normal process. Although ficus is a long-lived plant, the lifespan of individual leaves is limited.
If the ficus sheds its leaves quickly enough:
- First of all, make sure that the cause is not pests . Carefully inspect the leaves and stems. If you notice a black coating on them, waxy deposits or a thin web on the underside of the leaves, it means that the ficus is suffering from pests such as false scale insects and spider mites.
- Improper watering can also cause leaves to fall. Perhaps the lump of earth remained dry for a long time, or, on the contrary, excessively wet. In the latter case, oxygen access to the roots becomes difficult, they rot, and the plant dies.
- Another possible reason is stress after transplanting or transporting the ficus. Perhaps the new location has worse conditions for growth and development.
- Too cold or dry air in the room, cold water for irrigation and drafts are no less detrimental to the ficus
Please take a look at the following article. It contains more useful information - Gardenia jasmine: care at home.
How to propagate ficus by shoots (air layering)
Sometimes large-leaved ficus is easiest to propagate by air layering. Especially if the plant is old. This method is not easy and is recommended only for experienced gardeners:
- On a thick branch we find a point where the branch will not bend much. Otherwise it will simply break. Remove the sheet and make a vertical cut.
- To ensure that the cut is always slightly open, we place a match in it. Then we wrap a small amount of moss around the cut and secure it with threads and film, leaving holes for air circulation.
- Next, we take care of the ficus as usual for 3-4 weeks. We periodically check the location of the incision. When the moss has grown roots, remove the film, cut off the cuttings and plant it in a separate pot.
Ficus benjamina can also be propagated by layering, in which the stem has become woody. Most often, old ficus trees are propagated this way. But the technology is slightly different from the one described above.
Two tips for caring for young ficus
Follow the care recommendations to grow a full-fledged ficus:
- Watering a young ficus. After transplanting the cuttings into a pot with a substrate, you need to water it only with warm and settled water. Rain or snow water is perfect. Water the ficus moderately - only after the top layer of the substrate has dried.
- Feeding . The first feeding after planting the cuttings in the ground can be done after 3 months. You can use any universal fertilizer or a special one “for decorative deciduous trees.”
Photo by ru.depositphotos: Water the plant with warm water. ______________________________________________________________________________________________ Read our other articles about indoor flowers: Calendar for planting and replanting flowers for the year 8 reasons why ficus turns yellow and what to do for the health of your indoor flower
Propagation of chrysanthemums by cuttings: useful tips for propagating garden and indoor flowers How to grow Decembrist at home: tips for planting, caring for and propagating succulents ________________________________________________________________________________________________ What rules do you follow when propagating ficus? Share your experiences and tips with other gardeners in the comments.
